1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to emergency alert systems and methods, and more particularly to emergency alert (EA) systems and method for terrestrial broadcast digital television.
2. Description of Related Art
The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) in the US is currently considering whether or not to define a standard method for transport of EA information for terrestrial broadcast television. This work is in response to various FCC and FEMA activities in recent years to revamp the nation's alert system infrastructure. Other delivery media, such as IPTV and digital cable, have standardized such signaling methods. In cable, ANSI J-STD-042-A Emergency Alert Messaging for Cable is used to signal EA information to consumer devices. In IPTV, the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) has standardized ATIS 0800012 IPTV Emergency Alert System Metadata Specification. Up to this point, no equivalent standard exists for terrestrial broadcast. There is not currently a standard method for delivery of EAS info in machine-readable form in terrestrial broadcast.